T62 OLD ENGLISH VILLAGE LIFE. 



lasting through three centuries, was with the parish of Yeaveley, 

 where a still larger establishment of the Hospitallers had sprung 

 into existence. This foundation was known in early times as 

 the " Stydd Preceptory,"* and it was founded in the reign of 

 Richard I. From the date of its foundation, or soon afterwards, 

 the Arleston lands were worked in connection with it, being 

 under the supervision of a bailiff acting for his master, who 

 would give his personal attention to the larger domain. 

 We have evidence, thanks to the research of Dr. Cox, that the 

 rectory lands were leased by the Order, not in conjunction with 

 the Preceptory, but as a separate and independent estate. Dur- 

 ing the last century and a half preceding the dissolution of the 

 Order, the Bothe family, holding the Manor of Arleston, dis- 

 tinct, of course, from the Preceptory, and succeeding to the 

 Manor of Sinfin, by a business-like compact, were brought into 

 still closer touch with the Hospitallers, living in the Preceptory 

 house, so conveniently situated near the centre of their 

 rapidly increasing estate, and renting the rectory lands. The 

 last member of the family, who was buried with so many of his 

 ancestors in the Arleston aisle at Barrow Church, speaks of 

 " the chapell " at Arleston in a bequest to his son of " the 

 westments, massbooks, portuses, chalises, and all that belongs 

 to it." He was the last representative here of an ancient and 

 distinguished family, from which, in these centuries, came a 

 goodly line of Church dignitaries — two archbishops, two bishops, 

 two archdeacons and others in a descending scale very comfort- 

 ably placed. With the dissolution of the Order soon afterwards, 

 in 1540, Judge Harpur of Swarkestone received a substantial 

 slice of the rectory lands, becoming lay impropriator and receiv- 

 ing the greater tithes. The Beaumonts of Barrow secured the 

 lesser portion, and became the patrons. Henceforth there is a 

 vicar, very slenderly endowed, in place of the former rector, who 

 had been comfortably established under the distinguished 

 patronage of a privileged Order. 



* It is significant on the theory of place-names that Stydd, near 

 Ribchester in Lancashire, was also a Preceptory of the Hospitallers. 



